Footwear



Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTWEAR Application August 26, 1938, Serial No. 226,864

. 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-245) This invention pertains to the manufacture of footwear and relates more particularly to an improved heel structure and to a method of attaching it to the shoe bottom.

High heels, for instance those of the Louis type, are customarily attached by means of nails or screws driven through the insole into the heel, but' such fastening means is admittedly inadequate and though many attempts have heretofore been made to provide a more dependable union between the heel and shoe bottom, no such prior proposals have to my knowledge been commercially successful.

In the endeavor to provide a better anchorage for the heel and at the same time to simplify land cheapen the construction of the shoe, it has been proposed to make the heel and the shank portion of the outer sole as a unitary structure distinct from the forepart of the outer sole, thus providing a more extended surface for union with the other parts of the shoe bottom than is furnished by an ordinary heel alone. Heretov fore, such combined heel and shank devices have been made of wood, which, due to the peculiar shape and varied curvatures of the surfaces, is a difficult and expensive operation. Moreover, in spite of the extended surface thus provided the fastening means such as nails or screws, even when aided by cement, do not assure rm union of the parts so that quite frequently the forward end of the combined heel and shank structure separates from,the rear end of the outer sole, thus substantially ruining the shoe.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a shoe embodying an improved heel and heel-attaching means of such character as to insure a rm and dependable union between the heel and the heel seat surface of the shoe bottom. A further object of the invention is to provide a combined heel and shank device which is easy and cheap to construct and which may be of material' which is normally hard, nonsticky and otherwise suitable to form an acceptable heel, but which may be rendered sticky or adhesive by suitable treatment so that it is dependably secured to the bottom of the shoe and will not separate from the rear portion of the outer sole when in use. A further object of the invention ls to provide a combined heel and shank structure of such material which is strong, stiff and durable and which provides adequate support for the shank portion of the wearers foot, and which at the same time is well .suited both in shape and appearance to constitute the shank portion of the outer sole. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of uniting a heel or the like to a shoe bottom structure. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be made manifest in the following more detailed description 5 and by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein- Fig.- 1 is a side elevation of acombined heel and shank device embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of such device, portions 10 of which are broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section illustrating one means for attaching the heel and shank device to the inner and outer sole members of a shoe; 1

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section through the heel and shank device and inner sole;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another form of inner sole which might be employed;

Fig. 6 is a cross section thereof taken along 20 the section line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. '1 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a shoe provided With an inner sole such as is shown in Figs.

5 and 6; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of still an- 25 other form of inner sole.

The device I0 comprises an integral heel II and shank I2 of the outer sole of a shoe. The device I 0 is made. of mouldable material which is normally non-adhesive and which becomes adhesive when suitably treated. This material may be of various types as f or example a cellulosic derivative which when treated with a solvent such as acetone becomes sticky, or a thermoplastic synthetic resin which ybecomes sticky upon the application of heat. Preferably there is embedded in the device a reinforce member I5 which is bent to form a loop I6 that extends heightwise of the heel Il and a curved tongue I'I which extends longitudinally of the shank I2 beyond the forward end thereof. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the member I5 is rmly anchored in the substance ofthe material. A leather tap I8 is secured to the heel Il in any suitable well knownl manner preferablyby rendering the contacting surface of the heel sticky.

The bottom structure of the shoe with which the device I 0 is assembled comprises the forepart 20 of the outer sole, the inner sole 2I, the upper 22 and lining 23 therefor. The forward 50 edge of the shank I2 abuts the rearward edge of the forepart 2 0 and the tongue I1 of the reinforce member I5, overlays the rear end of the forepart. When' assembled the various elements take the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Prior to such assembly the surfaces of the device I which contact with the forepart 20, the inner sole 2| and the upper are rendered sticky and the parts are held under pressure until the elements are rmly joined. 'This may be done in any suitable manner as for example by means of a bed 25 and presser pads 26 (see Fig. 3).

In place of an inner sole of leather as shown in Figs. '3 and 4, there may be employed the inner sole 3U shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '1, or the inner sole 35, shown in Fig. 8. The inner sole 30 is made entirely of material similar to that of which the device I0 is made. The inner sole 35 is laminated, `having an upper layer 36 of leather and an under layer 31 of material such as is employed in the making of the inner sole 30.

When the inner sole is made entirely or in part of the material of which the heel and shank device assembled therewith is made, the union is obviously stronger in that both elements contain sticky constituents. This is particularly true where the material is thermoplastic. Under such conditions the bond set up is such that the elements are to all intents and purposes integral.

The forward end of the shankpreferably rests upon the rearward end of the fdrepart to which it is secured and moreover the tongue I1 is inserted between the inner sole'and the forepart. Thus the joinder of the forward end of the heel and shank device to the forepart of the outer sole is made secure and will resist any tendency to separate under the various strains to which the shoe is subjected.

It will also be noted that the inturned flanges of the shoe upper and lining are anchored in position by the assembling of the device with the bottom structure since they are bonded to `the device as well as to the inner sole. a

While certain embodiments of this invention have been shown and described it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that otherA embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A shoe having'- a bottom structure including and insole, an outer sole which extends rearwardly only so far as the shank, and a combined heel and shank device, the heel and shank portion of said shank device being integral and of a mouldable material having embedded within it reinforce means which projects forwardly beyond the forward end of the mouldab'le material of the shank portion of said device, and which overlies the rear end of the outer sole.

2. A shoe having a bottom structure including an insole, an outer sole which extends rearwardly only so far as the shank, and a: combined heel and shank device, the heel and shank portion of said shank device being integral and of a mculdable material having embedded within it reinforce means, said reinforce means comprising a loop portion extending heightwise of the heel, and a curved tongue-like portion extending longitudinally of its shank member.

3. A shoe having a bottom structure including an insole, an outer sole which extends rearwardly only so far as the shank, and a combined heel and shank device, the heel and shank portion of said shank device being integral and of a mouldable materialvhaving embedded within it reinforce means, said reinforce means comprising a unitary length of stiff perforated metal having a loop-like portion disposed within the heel, and an elongate portion extending lengthwise of the shank element and projecting beyond the moulded material of the shank element.

JACOB S. KAMBORIAN. EDGAR MOVSESIAN.

l CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,217,5h1. october 8, 19140.

JAcoB s. mrrBoRIAN, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification ofthe above numbered patent requiring oorrectionas follows: Page 2, second column, line 7, claim 1, for'the word "and" before "insole" read -a.n;

and that the said Letters Patent should be readwith this-correction therein that the'sane may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

signed ma sealed this 5th dey er November, A. D. 191m.

Hem-y. lvan .Az-edele,

(Sagl) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

